The present invention relates to a wrapping film for a wrapped article is provided by wrapping an article with a wrapping film, and, more particularly, to a wrapped article which is provided by such as an encased magnetic tape cassette. The wrapping film is adhered to the article and must be removed prior to using the article.
Some articles displayed at stores, such as encased magnetic tape cassettes, are uniform in configuration and relatively small in size. When those articles are shipped from the factory, in order to protect them from dust or moisture and to improve their external appearance, they are provided in the form of wrapped articles; that is, they are wrapped with transparent or opaque cellophane film, or lapping films of polyethylene, polypropylene or polyvinyl chloride, or lapping films formed by coating those lapping films with polyvinylidene chloride. Alternatively, when displayed at a store, they are provided as groups of articles which are wrapped together with lapping films, etc.
When it is required to use an article wrapped with a wrapping film of this type, of course it is necessary to remove the wrapping film. In the wrapped article, generally the wrapping film, as shown in FIG. 14, has a tear tape 2 set inside so that the wrapping film can be removed with ease.
More specifically, the tear tape 2 has an end portion 2a exposed to the outside. By pulling this end portion 21, the wrapping film 1 can be torn into pieces to expose the article. In addition, a slit 3 is formed in the wrapping film 1 along the end portion 2a of the tear tape 2, thus facilitating the tearing of the wrapping film 1. In this case, the wrapping film 1 can be torn along the tear tape 2 beginning with its portion near the end portion 2a. More specifically, the wrapping film 1 is torn greatly or into two pieces, thus exposing the article.
In general, the wrapped article is provided by wrapping an article with a wrapping film 1 by so-called "shrink wrapping". That is, in wrapping the article with the wrapping film 1, the latter is suitably stretched or heated at a predetermined temperature, depending on the material of the wrapping film, and then the article is wrapped with the wrapping film thus processed. The wrapping film shrinks so that it sticks firmly to the article, thus improving the external appearance of the article. However, since the wrapping film 1 sticks firmly to the article, it is rather difficult to remove the wrapping film 1 to expose the article. In order to eliminate this difficulty, heretofore a tear tape 2 is provided inside the wrapping film 1, as was described above. The tear tape 2 is effective in tearing the wrapping film of the wrapped article.
However, the employment of the tear tape 2 is disadvantageous in the following points:
In order to provide the tear tape 2 inside the wrapping film 1, it is necessary to provide a certain device suitable for providing the tear tape inside the wrapping film, and to provide a step of providing the tear tape inside the wrapping film. Furthermore, in order to tear the wrapping film with the tear tape 2, the latter must be higher in rigidity than the wrapping film 1. This means an increase of material cost.
On the other hand, depending on the position of the tear tape 2, the wrapping film 1 can be torn into a small piece (a) and a large piece (b). The small piece (a) may be removed readily; however, the large piece (b) may remain as it is although the tear tape 2 has been removed. That is, it is rather troublesome to remove the wrapping film completely.